Stags are looking to focus on defense

BOYLSTON — With 14 games remaining in the season, the Tahanto Regional High School girls basketball team owns a 1-6 overall record and an 0-3 league mark.

The Stags finished with a 4-14 overall record and a 1-11 league mark last season, and Tahanto coach Kim Dufresne is optimistic about improvement this season.

"We have many new faces this year, and we have stressed learning the game and reading the floor," Dufresne said. "We want to be able to help each other play as a team. We have to focus on defense, which is our bread and butter."

The captains for this year's team are sophomore Mary Kate O'Day and junior Allie Tolles.

O'Day is a guard, while Tolles is a forward.

"Mary Kate (O'Day) has been awesome," Dufresne said. "She is a real offensive player for us. As far as fundamental skills, she is the strongest on the team. She understands the game and puts her heart and soul out there.

"Allie (Tolles) is solid defensively," she said. "She sees the floor very well and is always helping out teammates."

The seniors on the team are Bridget Looney and Katie Blandin. Looney, at 6-foot, is the center, while Blandin is a guard.

"She (Looney) understands the game and is very enthusiastic," Dufresne said. "She is a transfer from Wachusett (Regional) and has blended in nicely. She has been starting and contributing.

"Katie (Blandin) didn't play last year, but played on the junior varsity a couple of years ago," she said. "She will get minutes off the bench and help us out."

Other key players on the team are eighth-grader Rachel Wilhelmy and sophomore Julia O'Brien. Wilhelmy is a guard and O'Brien is a forward.

"Rachel (Wilhelmy) is a point guard with a real good left-handed shot," Dufresne said. "To come in as an eighth-grader and have court awareness and composure is great to see.

"We are looking for her (O'Brien) to be a presence in the paint, both offensively and defensively," she said.

In addition to Tolles, the other juniors on the team are Sam Starkey, Rachel Stickles, Alyssa Michalak and Mollie Cashin.

Starkey, Stickles, and Michalak are guards, while Cashin will see action at both forward and center.

"They (Starkey and Stickles) are up from the JVs and have a great work ethic," Dufresne said. "Melissa (Michalak) has really grown as a player and will give us good minutes at guard.

"Mollie (Cashin) is a post player," she said.

Other sophomores are Rebecca Davis, Sam Sullivan and Nina Ngari. Davis is a forward, Sullivan a guard and Ngari a forward/center.

"Rebecca (Davis) hasn't played a lot of basketball, but has that court sense," Dufresne said. "She knows what to do out there.

"Sam (Sullivan) will help out defensively with her speed, and Nina Ngari will play the post for us," she said.